Boiler-flue cleaner



(No Model.)

I. BARKER.

BOILER FLUB CLEANER.

7 z 2'2nesses,

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N. PUERS. mummy. wm m M;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

IRVING BARKER, OF BRAIDIVOOD, ILLINOIS.

BOlLER-FLUE CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,810, dated December 4, 1888. Application filed December 8, 1887. Serial No. 257,351- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRVING BARKER, a citi-' zen of the United States of America, residing at B-raidwood, in the county of ill and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boiler-Flue Cleaners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improve ments in boiler-flue cleaners, the construction of which is fully set forth and explained in the following specification and claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and the letters and figures thereon, which form a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cleaner, having a portion of its handle broken away. Fig. 2 isa central longitudinal sectional view of the body of the same and a side view of some of its parts. Fig. 3 is a side View of the device as it would appear cleaning a fine. Fig. 4 is a central cross-sectional view of the cleaner, also showing its interior parts. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of one of the pointed body sections of the cleaner; and Fig. 6 is a perspective of one of the body sections of the cleaner, having a portion of its pointed covering broken away to show its spring-rib.

Referring to the drawings, S represents a round metal bar, which is formed as a part of a long handle, H, and has formed at its junction with the handle a tapered collar, 1, and is screw-threaded at its extending end, as shown in Fig. 2.

D and D are a pair of tapered sockets having a central aperture and sleeved on bar 8, as shown in Fig. 2.

B represents the pointed body sections of the cleaner, and are formed of two thicknesses, B and B of some flexible substance, preferably of leather, but maybe of sheet-rubber or any like material. The outer of said parts are provided and thickly set with steel points or teeth T, preferably common steel or steelwire tacks, with their points set through the leather and their heads between the two leather parts and firmly held in position by tacking or rivetingsaid two-parts together, as shown.

0 represents their spring-steel ribs, which are laid and secured between the two leather parts of said body sections, as shown, especially in Figs. 2 and G, which give proper form and stiifness to said body sections.

J represents inclined blocks corresponding with the end of said body sections B, and are securedone to each end of said sections by means of rivets Z, shown in Figs. 2 and 6. In constructing the bodylof the said cleaner the ends of the body sections B and their attached blocks J are arranged within the sock ets D D, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and secured thereinby means of rivets 1* through said blocks and sockets, as shown, and by means of the tapered bearing-surfaces of said sections B they are given and held in an outwardly-curved form, which is particularly shown in Fig. 2. The form of said body sections B is such that the space or slot between them will extend in a spiral manner about the device, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, in order that there will be no continued space along the body parallel with its center nnprovided with points or teeth.

R represents a flexible disk, preferably of leather, cut to fit the flue in which it is to be used, and is provided with a central hole and is sleeved 011 bar S adjacent to socket D, and has a series of radiating peripheral slits to render its edge more flexible, as shown in Fig. 1.

W is a washer sleeved on barS and held against said disk R by means of a nut, a, turned on the end of bar S, and which is held from loosening by means of a jam-nut, a, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

P represents a coil-spring of considerable tension, and is arranged on bar S between and bearing against blocks J, as shown in Fig. 2, for the purpose of holding said end parts yieldingly and at the same time firmly apart. hen the parts are thus put together, they appear, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, conical in form, having a gradual taper from its body to handle H, and by means of such form all possibilities of catching is avoided when with drawing it when it has been passed entirely through a flue.

The body sections B are flexible for the purpose of rendering them expansible, and they may at any time be adjusted and expanded v to any required diameter within certain limits .by adjusting the nuts (I a on rod S. If said nuts are turned against said parts, they will move socket l) toward socket I), and thus shorten the space between them, causing sections IE to have greater curve and greater diameter; but should said nuts be loosened, spring I" will force apart said sockets, and thus lengthen the distance between them, causing the sections 13 to assume a less curve, and hence a less diameter.

The points or teeth 'l are for the purpose of scratching loose the soot, crust, &e., from the lines, and the disk R is for the purpose ol scraping out the soot, cinders, &c., as they become loosened in the lines, and the handle H is for the purpose of passing the cleaner entirely through a fine. When entering the cleaner into a llue,the disk R will bend back, permitt'ingit to pass the deposited soot, crust,

&c., until loosened by the points or teeth '1, 1 which will, by working forward and back ward, scratch them loose, and when the cleaner f is pulled out from the line the disk or scraper R will straighten, and by means of the washer \V, which backs it up, scrape out all the loose substance from the line. In instances where the cleaner is used in lines of unequal diameter at different: parts, or where lines have been spliced, and thus having an offset or the like, and the cleaner is expanded to the proper diameter for the larger part, it can then also be forced through the smaller part as well, for the reason that the spring-ribs of the body sections B and their other yielding qualities render them flexible enough to partially collapse at such small places in a flue, and, also,

the points or teeth T, being set; through the 1 leather parts 13, will turn down, and in that manner decrease the diameter of the body, and when past such small parts in a tlue they will resmne their original positions. The blocks .l are represented as a quarter-section, or nearly so, ot? a complete collar; also, the teeth '1 maybe made in staple form, as shown in Fig. 5, it' it is so desired.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows, to wit:

1. In the tine-cleaner described, the sections ll, consisting of the combination of the two parts 13 1-3 points or teeth T, and spring-ribs t, arranged and combined with blocks .I and sockets l) D, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

1. In combination with handle ll, rod S, haying taper collar I and nuts (1 a, the conical,sectional,and expansible body having set therein the teeth or points 'I, and consisting of the sections l3, sockets I) D, and blocks J, and the spring I and the disk R, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination,with the handle II, rod S, having the taper collar I secured thereon and having its outer end screw-threaded, of the toothed body-sections Ia, having the flat spring-ribs C, and arranged spirally and in a conical form on said handle, rod S,disk R, and the means, substantially as shown, for collapsing and expanding said sections, as and for the purpose set forth.

IRVING BARKER.

\Yitnesses:

CHARLES A. JoHNsoN, ELIZUR W. GOODRICH. 

